Thursday, April 26, 2012

Most people think that having success in the music industry is all about being lucky and they are right in some regard but not completely. You may get a lucky break that gets you a shot but luck is not enough to sustain a long career. Music, like any other career, takes planning. They say be careful what you ask for because you just might get it. This saying is a warning to those that don't have a plan. The key to success in ANY field is having a plan. What's your plan? Keep in mind that plans are sometimes made to be changed but you must first have one. You can have anything you want but you must have a practical day to day plan of action. Truth be told, you really create your own luck based on how you work your plan. What most people fail to do is KEEP planning. Once you reach one goal, you have to move to the next plan. I've seen a lot of artists and athletes make millions of dollars only to end up loosing it all because they didn't have a plan. They just figured the money would always come and it doesn't, not without a structured plan to diversify and further invest in the growth of your career. You have to always look ahead. The money I make now should be used to help me achieve the next phase of my plan and so on and it's not always about big things. You must first decide what you want, then make a plan that involves what you will do day to day to accomplish the goal. Not planning only contributes to complacency and eventual failure. We can have whatever we want! We just have to take our heads out of the clouds and understand that success is under our control. And don't try to follow someone Else's plan. Pave your own way. Steve Jobs became a legend because he looked at the landscape and decided to reinvent it in his own vision. He definitely had a plan that is still being worked even after his death. You too can innovate and leave a legacy of something beautiful but not without having a vision and a plan to implement it. So again I ask you . . . What's YOUR plan? Enjoy the journey.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Being in this industry is like walking through the desert. The greater your thirst becomes, the more delusional you become. You start to see and believe the mirage. It's important not to get sucked into the illusion and start chasing an almost unattainable thing. The thing I speak of is FAME. Fame is the biggest lie ever told because most of us believe that fame and riches go hand and hand but they don't. We must stay grounded. The powers that run this game count on artists with inflated egos that are driven to ONLY be the TALENT while they handle the business and count the money. The danger is that the artist starts to believe his/her own hype and thinks that all the people working for him/her are there because they need to be but they are only there to take from you for the most part. The worst enemy of this industry is a grounded, humble artist with intellect and talent. An artist that looks at the BIG picture and not just the immediate money. There really is no immediate money. Everything takes time and work but those artists caught up in the illusion still believe that they need to have all of these managers, agents and contracts to get paid. Keeping your feet on the ground will always make sure that you are able to see all sides of the game. You simply have to play different roles. You can't walk into the business meeting as the artist. The artist only needs to exist in creative environments. The business man/woman needs to be present in all other situations but this is hard to do if you are drinking your own kool aid. You begin to see doing business as beneath you. So many broke artists have made this mistake. Just stay grounded and your success is guaranteed. Enjoy the journey.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

I'm a member of a very distinguished club of musicians that plays or has played extensively with major artists. We have all had great experiences and have great stories to tell but we all have dealt with the great dilemma. Landing a big gig is great but, depending on the artist, it can be all consuming and intoxicating. What I mean is that you spend ALL of your time serving this person's every whim and being seduced by the fame or shall we say the association with fame. Most of us loose sight of our personal goals and as good as any gig is, it always comes to an end and we are sometimes left to realize that we've invested some of our most productive years into someone Else's career. It's important to take control of your own destiny. Playing with major artists is just ONE of the things I do and I've learned not to tie my identity to any one situation. It's important that people are able to see the value in who we are as artists, musicians and educators in our own right. Yes I spent X amount of years with Little Richard and I continue to do work with him as MY schedule allows but that is just one of many things I've done and my career continues to flourish. It's great to have these experiences as a calling card but we don't have to be defined by them. It's better for people to follow us because of who WE are as musicians or artists. This is the only way for us to build a stable career financially and otherwise. Trust me, you should never put all of your eggs in one basket, so to speak. Never let ANY man/woman, no matter how famous or rich, feel as if he/she can control your life. It's important to remember that we are always working for ourselves and when we are out with these artists, we have to take advantage of the access to build a network of business relationships that we can use long after the gig is over. We have to always stay sober and not get high on the perceived fame the gig brings us. One quick reality check is that we can go out with these artists and make GREAT money but when we come home, we will use this association to get other jobs but people won't pay us anywhere close to the same money and for the most part, they just want to say they know someone that works with X artist. The bottom line for you is still not great. Therefore we have to stay focused on building our value and controlling our own destiny. Enjoy the journey.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The cool thing about being a musician is being able to truly live your life out loud. Most people get beat down by life but we don't. Have your ever noticed how guys will play music well into their eighties? This is because music is a never ending journey. Yes, it is a journey and it's important for us to remember that. I often have people ask what my favorite type of music is or in what situations do I best like to play. I simply say I love to play good music with good musicians for beautiful people. I truly learn something from every performance and that's the key because there is always more to learn. It's this quest for knowledge and attention to being in the moment that keeps us young and vital. You never REALLY get all the way there with your craft, if you think you have done all you can do then you should just quit now. Life is about experiences and learning and the moment you stop learning, you die. We must all continue to practice our instruments and study as much as we can about as much as we can. I've found that the more music I listen too and the more I study different things it all has an effect on my playing and writing. It's as if I can hear better. I believe this to be true because the more open you are the more you receive. There are even things to be learned from silence if we only take the time to learn them. This is truly a life long and beautiful journey. As you take the stage tonight or any other night keep in mind that it's just another opportunity for you to learn something new and continue to challenge yourself to become a better musician and person. After all we are only creative extensions of our true personalities. Enjoy the journey.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

I played a show last night at a club and it was a nice crowd and the band sounded great. We do a lot of crowd interaction and during one of the breaks I had a lady walk over to me and say thanks for being there. In turned out that her mother had just passed away and she said that our music made her fill better in that space and put a smile on her face, which was something she hadn't been able to do since hearing of her mother's passing. This was just a reminder to me of what REALLY matters. We spend time chasing money, fame and doing business but it is always good to remember why we do it. We do it because we simply love it and that love enables us to share our passion for the craft with others in the most intimate and sincere way. This is what music is ALL about. It's about the beauty of living and experiencing life. It just helps us along in so many ways. So the next time you get frustrated or wonder if it is worth it, take a step back from the biz and remember why we REALLY do this. Enjoy the journey.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

I recently did a show at this club and there was literally about ten people that showed up all night. The artist I was playing with has a great show and awesome music but this was an off night for the club. Even though there was hardly anyone there, we still played as if the place was standing room only and the people that were there were blown away. One guy said he had seen bands really put on poor shows when the audience was not strong and he appreciated us for going all the way even though the crowd was slim. This reminded me of a lesson I learned long ago. Always give 100%. Your performance should not be defined by the size of the venue or the number of people in the crowd. You should give ALL you have EVERY time you take the stage. There are no off nights. Some nights may better than others but you have to give it everything you have. You never know who is watching and what can come from it. The interesting thing is that the club owner was so impressed with the fact that we stay all night and played the whole gig and she was also taken with the musicianship and quality of the performance that she went ahead and booked us again. She promised that she would provide a crowd but we assured her that we come to play EVERY time. Whether it's three or three thousand, you have to do your thing. After all, the people that show up deserve the best you have because they are there. Anyone else will just miss out. Remember, there are no nights off when on the stage. Always give 100%. Enjoy the journey.

Monday, April 16, 2012

To really be successful as musicians we have to always be objective, rational and humble. Too much ego and emotional ignorance can allow us to be manipulated and effect our bottom line. I tour with a lot of people and one of the reason's I continue to get calls is that I try to stay user friendly. Being a hired musician is like being on a team and every team is made of of role players. You have a coach or leader and other positions there after. You can not enter ANY situation thinking that it's ever about YOU. We are hired to be the creative extension of whatever the situation calls for. We should ALWAYS be prepared by studying the music and yes TAKING NOTES OR WRITING CHARTS. When I'm hired to play, I always ask how they want it too feel, what tempo, dress code . . .etc. Even if it's material that I've played with other people, I try to never take anything for granted. Unless an artist tells me to do my own thing, I am there to make them happy. Even in doing my so called "own thing", I have to do what best serves the musical situation and not just my ego. This is the very reason that most really talented musicians don't land or can't keep the higher profile or better paying gigs. They miss the fact that this is a business and we are hired to do only what is asked of us, no more no less. People want us to play the music with class, professionalism and enthusiasm. It is always about being flexible and accommodating. Being user friendly doesn't make you any less of a musician it just makes life flow smoother and it will make sure you get called again and again. Talent is only one part of it. Having a delightful personality and being easy to get along with goes as far, if not farther than talent. You can always do your own projects to express your personal creative outlet but if you are hired to do a gig just understand that you are there to make THEM happy by giving the things they want. Playing music is a blessing and can be super rewarding when done right with great people. Remember to be user friendly and enjoy the journey.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Being an artist/musician makes us a walking, talking contradiction. We are in a business that requires us to be thick skinned, resilient and strong while at the core we are sensitive and venerable. It's these contradictions that follow us through our lives and careers. Success is based largely on how we learn to deal with this duality. We are constantly bombarded with people's opinions of who we are and what we do. Even those closest to us don't always get it, but I say keep the faith. We are the living embodiment of Faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Most people choose a career because of money but we chose music because it's our passion. Now don't get me wrong, we too need and want to make money but it requires a lot of Faith and continued support to do so because creativity is intangible. We move forward day to day with the faith that we will have the success we want with our art. The problem most of us have is that we loose faith without even realizing it. We make choices and decisions that adversely effect our lives and careers. These choices are often made due to a lack of faith. We will choose a certain relationship based on what we think we need at that moment knowing that the person only cares about you making X amount of dollars and cares nothing about your art. They only see it as some whim or unattainable dream. By continually allowing these kind of people into your life, you weaken your faith and slowly kill your goals. We must continue to believe in ourselves and our art no matter what ANYONE says. Yes we have to sacrifice but don't let people talk you out of your dream. We have to learn to be private with our thoughts and desires. Be more about action than conversation. No one can talk you out of something if you don't talk about it, just do it. As artists we are in a very special club, yes special. Most people don't understand what makes us tick and we need not spend any time trying to show them. Just know that we are a special breed and the world is better off with us in it so let's not forsake our craft. Let's keep the faith and make better choices as we move towards our success. Enjoy the journey.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

This business is mostly all about hype but you have to be careful not to be come a victim of it. I've met a lot of so called managers in this game and they all promise to make you famous and give you this and that. This is a diversionary tactic to keep you from seeing what's right in front of you which is usually nothing but if they can keep you gazing into the stars you miss the truth. You have to learn to pay attention. Never let greed, ego or the pursuit of fame drive your decision making process. The easiest way to determine if someone is real is to look at their track record. If a guy is making you a lot of promises, check to see how many other people he's done it for and what was their outcome. I mean how can a guy promise you fame and riches and he is just scrapping by himself. Truth be told, in most cases if he was REALLY on the level it wouldn't be so easy for you access him let alone having him pursue you with promises of gold and fame. It's really just common sense. If it sounds to good to be true well . . . This is really important for child artists and their parents to remember because they are one of the most gullible groups in this business. Even though there are endless sources of information out there, they just want to believe the lie. I've known and continue to know people that refuse to face the truth, instead they are throwing good money after bad chasing lies and basically destroying any chance their child would have at a successful career. Nothing ever comes without hard work and paying your dues, so don't ever think that you can take a short cut. Study your craft and this business and never make emotional decisions based on the hype sell. Just deal with the facts and stick with your bottom line. Enjoy the journey.

Monday, April 9, 2012

I have the pleasure to work with some of the greatest musicians and artists in the world and I get to see a LOT of cats play. The one thing that never ceases to amaze me is how a lot of guys still insist on focusing on chops instead of playing what it takes to make the music feel good. A lot of younger musicians get accused of being too busy but it's not just younger guys, it's some of the older guys too. I had a friend recently comment after a show that my playing was very simple but grooving. I laughed because he made it sound like the two were something different. LOL . To groove IS to be simple. It's like life, being happy is simple but WE make it hard by trying too hard or doing too much. It's all about fills vs feel. It's knowing what not to play that makes you great. It's always tempting to FILL all of the spaces but that only sacrifices the FEEL of the music because there is beauty and groove to be found in space as well. It's all about knowing your role and enthusiastically playing YOUR part. It takes a total team effort to establish and maintain an infectious groove that will connect with people emotionally. It also takes humility and sacrifice. You have to be willing to ONLY play what the song needs or calls for, no more, no less. I've heard guys say that they don't like this song or that song because it's too easy or it's boring, not enough notes. Well this is a bunch of crap. You should be able to find something special in every situation, style or song you play. It's not about your ego. It's always about the song, the team and how you all work together to best serve the song and not your ego. Remember, too many FILLS can sacrifice the FEEL, so just stay in the pocket and lock it. And that goes for any kind of music. Groove is universal. Enjoy the journey.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

I read a story yesterday about a group of African children. In short, the children were asked to race to a tree and the winner would win the sweetest fruits but instead of competing for the fruit, they all held hand and raced towards the tree together. When asked why they did this they replied that it would not be good for one of them to have pleasure while his brothers and sisters suffer. This concept they referred to as UBUNTU which means "I am because we are." This really hit home with me because this strikes at the core of what we as musicians have historically been about. This craft on the surface has seemed competitive but it has always been about the progress of the whole. Each one teach one and a universal comradery. The modern music industry has taken us away from this concept of togetherness. We all feel as if other artists and musicians are our enemy instead of our ally. Now this works well for the corporate structure because as long as they keep us all fighting against each other they can divide and conquer. Imagine what we could do if we all returned to a mind set of helping each other and everyone sincerely wanting to see the other guy do well. When one wins, we all win. We could control our own bookings, tours, studios, production and distribution. I know this sounds like some far fetched concept by modern capitalist standards but it can work. I am because we are means none of us is an island. We all need each other and we can ALL achieve higher heights by working together. Let's try to adopt this philosophy moving forward, Enjoy the journey.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

In every musicians life there are times of transition. For most of us that transition is connected to our age. We started this journey with a particular goal and time limit in mind but some things didn't quite pan out the way we imagined they would. On the other hand most of us have experienced success far beyond our initial goals. I am glad to say that I am one of those people that has been blessed beyond expectation and still that question exists. What Next? As musicians and artists in this business, it can be hard to maintain a singular focus with so many distractions. The entire industry is different. It is now based a singles driven non performance game and those for those of us who came up the old way, it can be hard to find and sustain our footing in this era. If we really take a serious look at it, we are really far better equipped to play this new game than we give ourselves credit for. Not only can we make great music to place on the Internet but we have to skill and know how to still take our craft to the stage and entertain the people and this is still an important component of success. Especially now because the quality of the modern stage performance has fallen way off. I'm not talking about having a million dollar over the top over produced show with dancers and circus clowns to boot. I'm talking about just being able to go on stage with your band and turn a place out with just your music and performance skills. So our transition is just figuring out how to take who we are and what we do and finding ways to integrate them into this new digital universe. We should never stop asking what's next because this only keeps us on our toes. There is always something new to learn and new creative territory to explore. Stay inspired and enjoy the journey.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The main focus of this blog is to make sure that you know THE TRUTH about this multi faceted music industry. We all spend our careers building credits as players, writers, producers or touring sidemen in hopes that all of our experience will amount to something when we decide to do our own projects. Most of us believe that if you make a great record and get great reviews that this will guarantee us an introit into the larger world of festival and multi venue bookings. Well... Don't fool yourself. I've spent many years touring, producing, consulting and directing careers. I recently produced a critically acclaimed duo CD in the blues category. The record is getting international airplay and we are still getting outstanding reviews, all of which have refereed to the music as groundbreaking, combined with the fact that we made it to the finals of the famed IBC (International Blues Challenge). Now I'm not trying to toot my own horn, I'm trying to make a point. With all of this notoriety, we also have a great live show but as you know it can be hard to get booked on festivals without the help of a booking agent. So with all of this perceived success we've had combined with our experience and performance resumes, we just figured it would make it easier for us to get involved with a booking agency. WRONG. Every major agency we spoke to asked us to submit a list of our tour schedule for the last two years and the amount of money we made. When we expressed to them that we were a new duo and we needed an agency to help us book dates and festivals. We were told that they would only book us if we had made at least $100,000 in touring revenue within the previous year. Now this really surprised us because the way we looked at it was if we had made that kind of money on our own, why would we need them? I was told that most artists build themselves to this level and then turn it over to a booking agency when it becomes too much for them too handle. LOL. This may be true but it was a sobering experience for us. The bottom line is nothing has changed. If you want something done, you still have to do it yourself. It doesn't matter how great of a record you have or how great of a live show, you still bear the burden of having to prove yourself and your worth. Your experience and know how is really only an asset to you so just use it to get to where you want to be. No need to spend any more time calling people expecting them to do something for you. Just do it for yourself and let them come to you and they WILL come. The bottom line is that no one is interested in helping you BUILD a house, they just want a room in it once it's built. That is cool too just as long as THEY can afford the rent. Enjoy the journey.

Monday, April 2, 2012

One of the truest things to remember about this industry is you never REALLY know who someone is. It's best to ALWAYS treat everyone you meet with respect and honor. Don't ever be pretentious. The very person you choose to brush off may be someone who could really influence your career. I'll take it a step further. That person may BECOME someone important and have the ability to influence your career in a positive or negative way. I meet a lot of people and even though I've done a lot of things, I don't walk around spouting my resume. It's always interesting to see how people treat you when they don't really know anything about you. If a guy likes my playing, that's all that should matter but I've been in situations where a person would kind of give me the brush off until they find out some of the things I've done and then they become very friendly and start to try to pick my brain or pretend to be interested in what I have to say. This to me is very pretentious because if they were sincere, they would have treated me with respect regardless of my resume or what they thought I could do for them. It's always good to keep things in proper perspective. How can any of us have egos when no matter how much we've done, most of us are still struggling to make ends meet. We need as many allies as we can get in this business. There is never a place for ego. I mean I've heard guys talk about who they are and what they've done and how great this or that but they are working for tips in a local club. I'm not knocking playing for tips or doing whatever kind of gig to get paid. I'm just saying let's stay grounded and real about it. We are all living and working in this business and we all understand that there are ups and downs so the last thing we need to be is pretentious. Let's just focus on being great musicians and treat others with respect and honor not because of who they are or what they've done but because it's just the right thing to do. Enjoy the journey.

About Me

D’MAR’s story says that he is standing between two worlds where the gap grows by the day and D’MAR is in the epicenter. Better yet, D’MARis the epicenter. From the center of who he is, D’MAR is in the company of music Rock and Roll legend Little Richard as the lead drummer of the Little Richard band and he was born and raised in the state that is home of the Blues: Mississippi. He has worked with some of the most recognizable names such as Dorothy Moore, Bobby Rush, Vastie Jackson, Ali Woodson (The Temptations), Big Jack Johnson, Billy Preston, Roy Gaines, and of course Little Richard (current) to name a few.

The intro of 2009 marked the 10th year anniversary of the beginning of the artist known as D'MAR and simultaneously, it marked the beginning of his artist expansion with the release of D'MAR....the Truth album (2nd project) . 2010 included the .....